While Bran was very absent in Game of Thrones season 5, today we’re learning he’ll be back in season 6.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner this week, Bran actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright revealed that his character is absolutely returning for Game of Thrones season 6. “I can’t say a lot but I am back this season, and it’s going to get particularly interesting with Bran,” he said. “He has some interesting visions.”
It sounds like Hempstead-Wright is already aware of what his character will be up to in season 6, but funnily enough the actor hasn’t seen the most recent season of the show. “I missed the whole of the last season because it was right in the middle of my exams, so I didn’t have the time to watch it,” he said. “But I’m looking forward to getting with some friends and binge-watching it all.”
The character, who was one of the first people we heard about in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, was never believed to be gone for good despite a season-long absence. At any rate, his disappearance was unsettling to viewers. When we last saw him in season 4, Bran had just met his Three-Eyed Raven mentor and met a new race called the Children of the Forest.
In the middle of season 5, we wrote about seven characters who had seemingly gone missing from the show. Bran unsurprisingly made that list, as did Yara, Gendry, and The Hound.
Word of Bran and Hodor’s absence from season 5 was first revealed last September by the actor who plays the latter character, Kristian Nairn.
As for Hempstead-Wright’s thoughts on the big Jon Snow twist? “I don’t know (if he will come back),” he said. “He’s said he’s not.”
The young actor noted that filming begins later this month, so he’ll know the truth about Jon Snow’s fate very soon. As for the rest of us, we’ll probably be waiting a while.
Game of Thrones season 6 airs in 2016 on HBO.
Related: Game of Thrones cast, crew reflect on some of last season’s controversies at SDCC
